NAME: Frederick D. Gregory (Colonel, USAF)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born January 7, 1941, in Washington, D.C.
His mother, Mrs. Nora D. Gregory, is a resident of Washington, D.C.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; brown eyes; 5 feet 11 inches; 190 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Anacostia High School, Washington, D.C., in 1958;
received a bachelor of science degree from the United States Air Force Academy
in 1964, and a master's degree in Information Systems from George Washington
University in 1977.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Barbara Archer of Washington, D.C. Her
father, Mr. Aaron E. Archer, resides in Forest Heights, Maryland.
CHILDREN: Frederick D., Jr., a Captain in the Air Force, and a graduate of
Stanford University. Heather Lynn, a social worker and graduate of Sweet Briar
College.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: During his free time, he enjoys water skiing, fishing,
hunting, specialty cars, and stereo equipment.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Order of
Daedalians, American Helicopter Society, Air Force Academy Association of
Graduates, the Air Force Association, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the National
Technical Association, and the Tuskegee Airmen. He is also on the Board of
Directors for the Young Astronaut Council, the Challenger Center for Space
Science Education, and the Virginia Air and Space Center-Hampton Roads History
Center.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, 2 Distinguished
Flying Crosses, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service
Medal, 16 Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and 3 NASA Space Flight
Medals. Recipient of the NASA Outstanding Leadership Award; the National
Society of Black Engineers Distinguished National Scientist Award (1979); an
honorary doctor of science degree from the University of the District of
Columbia (1986); and the George Washington University Distinguished Alumni
Award. Designated an "Ira Eaker Fellow" by the Air Force Association.
Recipient of numerous NASA group and individual achievement awards as well as
civic and community awards.
EXPERIENCE: After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1964,
Gregory entered pilot training and attended undergraduate helicopter training
at Stead AFB, Nevada. He received his wings in 1965 and was assigned as an
H-43 helicopter rescue pilot at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, from October 1965 until
May 1966. In June 1966, he was assigned as an H-43 combat rescue pilot at
Danang AB, Vietnam. When he returned to the United States in July 1967, he was
assigned as a missile support helicopter pilot flying the UH-1F at Whiteman
AFB, Missouri. In January 1968, Gregory was retrained as a fixed-wing pilot
flying the T-38 at Randolph AFB, Texas. He was then assigned to the F-4
Phantom Combat Crew Training Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. Gregory
attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air
Station, Maryland, from September 1970 to June 1971.
Following completion of this training, he was assigned to the 4950th Test Wing,
Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, as an operational test pilot flying fighters and
helicopters. In June 1974, Gregory was detailed to the NASA Langley Research
Center, Hampton, Virginia. He served as a research test pilot at Langley until
selected for the Astronaut Program in January 1978.
Gregory has logged more than 6,500 hours flying time in over 50 types of
aircraft -- including 550 combat missions in Vietnam. He holds an FAA
commercial and instrument certificate for single- and multi-engine airplanes
and helicopters. He has authored or co-authored several papers in the areas of
aircraft handling qualities and cockpit design.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Gregory was selected as an astronaut in January 1978. His
technical assignments have included Astronaut Office Representative at the
Kennedy Space Center during initial Orbiter checkout and launch support for
STS-1 and STS-2, Flight Data File Manager, lead Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM),
Chief, Operational Safety, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., Chief,
Astronaut Training, and a member of the Orbiter Configuration Control Board. A
veteran of three Shuttle missions, he served as pilot on STS-51B (April 29 -
May 6, 1985), and was the spacecraft commander on STS-33 (November 22-27,
1989), and STS-44 (November 24 - December 1, 1991).
On his first mission, Gregory was pilot on STS-51B/Spacelab-3 which launched
from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on April 29, 1985. The crew on board the
Orbiter Challenger included spacecraft commander, Robert Overmyer; mission
specialists, Norman Thagard, William Thornton, and Don Lind; and payload
specialists, Taylor Wang and Lodewijk Vandenberg. On this second flight of the
European Space Agency (ESA) developed laboratory, the crew members conducted a
broad range of scientific experiments ranging from space physics to the
suitability of animal holding facilities. The crew also deployed the Northern
Utah Satellite (NUSAT). After seven days of around-the-clock scientific
operations, Challenger and its laboratory cargo landed on the dry lakebed at
Edwards AFB, California, on May 6, 1985.
He was the spacecraft commander on STS-33 which launched, at night, from
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 22, 1989. On board the Orbiter
Discovery, his crew included the pilot, John Blaha, and three mission
specialists, Manley (Sonny) Carter, Story Musgrave, and Kathryn Thornton. The
mission carried Department of Defense payloads and other secondary payloads.
After 79 orbits of the earth, this five day mission concluded on November 27,
1989, with a hard surface landing on Runway 04 at Edwards AFB, California.
More recently, Colonel Gregory commanded a crew of six aboard the Orbiter
Atlantis. STS-44 launched at night on November 24, 1991 from the Kennedy Space
Center, Florida. During 110 orbits of the Earth the crew successfully deployed
their prime payload, the Department of Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite
in addition to working on a variety of secondary payloads ranging from the
Military Man in Space experiment designed to evaluate the ability of a
spaceborne observer to gathering information about ground troops, equipment and
facilities, to participating in extensive studies evaluating medical
countermeasures to long duration space flight. His crew included the pilot Tom
Henricks, three mission specialists, Story Musgrave, Jim Voss, and Mario Runco
Jr., and payload specialist Tom Hennen. The mission concluded on December 1,
1991 with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
With the completion of his third mission, Gregory has logged over 455 hours in
space.
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: On April 28, 1992, Colonel Gregory was appointed Associate
Administrator, Office of Safety and Mission Quality, NASA Headquarters,
Washington, D.C.
MAY 1992